The present invention relates generally to display boxes for protecting consumer articles from theft, and more particularly, to an improved construction of a display box for securely storing and displaying consumer articles such as timepieces.
It is well known to provide a package or display box for storing a consumer article during shipping and for exhibiting the article for sale in retail sales establishments. Typically, a retail sales establishment will exhibit the consumer article such as a timepiece in its individual display box on a rack or, alternatively, may arrange the display box on a counter top so that timepiece may be seen by a prospective purchaser. Such counter top exhibitions may include the timepiece within its display box or removed therefrom. To permit the exhibition of the timepiece within the display box, the display box typically has a cover that includes transparent portions.
In order to permit a closer inspection of the timepiece, the timepiece may be removed from the display box and arranged for exhibition on, for example, a counter top. That is, the timepiece and a C-shaped member of the display box may be removed from an interior cavity of the display box and utilized as a stand alone display. The C-shaped member, generally referred to as a C-clip, is adapted to support the timepiece thereon. This manner of exhibition enables a potential purchaser to pick up and examine the timepiece to assist in their purchasing decision but, however, also increases the likelihood that the timepiece may be stolen.
To deter theft of consumer articles such as timepieces, it is well known to provide surveillance systems that include, for example, scanners which establish an electromagnetic or magnetic field at entrances and exits of the retail sales establishment. In this respect, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,608,379, issued Mar. 4, 1997, entitled xe2x80x9cDeactivatable EAS Tag,xe2x80x9d by Narlow et al. As described in Narlow et al. an electronic article surveillance (EAS) marker or tag may be attached to, for example, the display box or to the timepiece within the display box. When activated, the EAS marker interacts with the electromagnetic or magnetic field to indicate that the tagged article is entering the field. In this way, the presence of an active EAS marker activates an alarm indicating that a display box, i.e. a timepiece, containing an active EAS marker, is being removed from the premises.
The foregoing systems have been somewhat successful in deterring theft. However, in some conventional display box configurations an EAS marker may easily be removed to defeat the surveillance system. Further, certain merchandise such as, for example, timepieces have heretofore not be able to be tagged with an EAS marker in a manner which ensures the ability to pick up and examine the timepiece while simultaneously reducing the likelihood of theft of the timepiece. Thus, one perceived deficiency in prior art display box arrangements is an inability to reliably secure an EAS marker to the display box in a manner that permits exhibition of the timepiece while the timepiece is either within the display box or removed from the box.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved construction for securely storing and displaying a consumer article such as a timepiece and for reliably affixing a security device such as, for example, an EAS marker to reduce the likelihood of theft.
Therefore, it is an object and advantage of this invention to provide an improved arrangement for reducing or eliminating the theft of a consumer article, such as a timepiece.
It is another object and advantage of this invention to provide a consumer article display box for securely storing and displaying a consumer article.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.
The foregoing and other problems are overcome and the objects and advantages are realized by an apparatus, constructed in accordance with embodiments of this invention, wherein an improved arrangement for a consumer article display box is disclosed.
Generally speaking, the present invention comprises a display box for a consumer article that includes a base, a support member and a cover. The base has at least one platform that includes an outer surface, a bottom surface, and a flange extending from the at least one platform. The base further includes an opening in the bottom surface defined by edges of the flange. The support member is adapted for supporting the consumer article and has a pedestal that is selectively mountable to and decoupleable from the flange. The cover has a top wall and four side walls that define an inner surface. The cover is selectively coupled to and decoupled from the base and can be positioned in a first position, in which the outer surface of the base and the inner surface of the four side walls cooperate to seal the display box and to prevent an unauthorized decoupling of the cover (i.e. opening of the display box). Preferably, mechanical assistance is required to separate the cover and the base.
In one embodiment, the pedestal includes a cavity for receiving a security device such as, for example, an EAS marker. In this embodiment, the cavity of the platform is aligned with the opening through the base such that when the cover is in the first, closed position, the security device may be affixed within the cavity.
In another embodiment, the display box also includes a device for securely coupling the support member to the flange. For example, the device includes at least two tabs that extend from the at least one platform of the base. The tabs releaseably engage the pedestal of the support member to securely couple the support member onto the flange of the base.